Ministry of Labour and Social Policies Directorate General for Guidance and Training Policies Shaping the future of the ESF ESF and Europe 2020 WORKSHOP 3 – MORE EFFECTIVE ESF

Focus on delivery systems has implied an administrative burden not always justified by the objective of sound financial management. Socio-economic crisis highlights such as obstacles in the ESF management. ESF Management

Bureaucratic logic is prevaling: focus on management and papers, more than on efficiency and results achievement. negative effects also at beneficiaries level: beacuse of the heavy administrative burden they tend to give up in asking ESF resources. Obstacles in the ESF delivery

Effects Lack of confidence in the concrete application of innovations introduced with the semplification package; Lack of confidence in the concrete application of innovations introduced with the semplification package; Slowness and/or delay of the answers, that ESF should provide prompltly, especially in crisis situations; Slowness and/or delay of the answers, that ESF should provide prompltly, especially in crisis situations; Tend to prefer traditional training activities, with safe targets, in order to reach expenses thresholds given by the decommittment rule; Tend to prefer traditional training activities, with safe targets, in order to reach expenses thresholds given by the decommittment rule; Sometimes, negative perception of the real added value of ESF interventions; Sometimes, negative perception of the real added value of ESF interventions; Increasing of the costs related to management and control activities. Increasing of the costs related to management and control activities.

Issues for the future Back to the strategic dimension of cohesion and ESF policy through more differentiation of roles between the various key stakeholders (mostly European Commission and Member States) more differentiation of roles between the various key stakeholders (mostly European Commission and Member States) More flexibility of Operational Programmes; More flexibility of Operational Programmes; Defining a priority shared menu at European level and settlement of effective options at appropriate level; Defining a priority shared menu at European level and settlement of effective options at appropriate level; Establishing of a periodical forum, also at political level, on the coehesion policy implementation. Establishing of a periodical forum, also at political level, on the coehesion policy implementation.

Issues for the future Increasing subsidiarity in management and control fields through defining a control chain: first and second level controls under the responsability of the OPs Authorities; general supervision of the European Commission; defining a control chain: first and second level controls under the responsability of the OPs Authorities; general supervision of the European Commission; simplification and differentiation of control methods. simplification and differentiation of control methods.

Issues for the future Make legislative simplifications really usable through more flexibility in the application of simplifications rules; more flexibility in the application of simplifications rules; more co-operative role in the replies from the European Commission or, as an alternative, more responsability and autonomy of the Managing Authorities. more co-operative role in the replies from the European Commission or, as an alternative, more responsability and autonomy of the Managing Authorities.

Issues for the future Strenghtening mutual trust in the relationship between European Commission and Member States through continuous implementation of partnership principle, not only at political level, but also at administrative level; continuous implementation of partnership principle, not only at political level, but also at administrative level; going beyond a traditional and conservative view, in favour of a more innovative and pro- active role. going beyond a traditional and conservative view, in favour of a more innovative and pro- active role.

Simplifying the programming architecture through put aside some of the current foreseen compulsory Authorities for each Ops (i.e. Certifying Authority) put aside some of the current foreseen compulsory Authorities for each Ops (i.e. Certifying Authority) Issues for the future

Exploit the possibility of re-orienting programmes and interventions, not only to spending and paper based accomplishments, but also to results through defining and testing an appropriate set of indicators, to measure the results in a transparent and reliable manner. defining and testing an appropriate set of indicators, to measure the results in a transparent and reliable manner. Issues for the future

Make effective the proportionality principles application Not only in spending terms, but also in promotion of thematic priorities terms. Issues for the future